Differences in Employee Multidimensional Health by Gender, Age, and Educational Level

SUMMARY

Multidimensional health was assessed in a sample of university employees including faculty, staff, and administrators (N = 955). Seven areas of self-reported health were measured: physical, environmental, social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and occupational wellness. A gender by age by educational level between-subjects MANOVA revealed a significant gender by education interaction (p = .001), and significant main effects (p < .001) for gender, age, and educational level. Men reported as significantly healthier than women on social and intellectual health. Women reported as significantly healthier than men on physical health. In general, response trends indicate that older participants reported greater health across dimensions than younger participants, and more educated persons reported greater health across dimensions than less educated persons. Recommendations for how these findings can direct primary prevention programming are offered.

KEYWORDS:

• Wellness
• health
• primary prevention
• EAP
• work
• workplace
• worksite
• employee